Akin Creative: Drumleaf and Coptic Stitch Bookbinding Workshop for Artists on July 7 at Akin King

Saturday July 7 / 1pm-4pm / Akin King - 525 King St West, third floor studio / $30 per person / All materials provided / Please register at www.universe.com/bookbinding2018

Artist Jessica Thalmann will lead this workshop with participants interested learning two unique styles of handmade books including Coptic Stitch and Drumleaf binding.

Thalmann will present a quick lecture on artists exploring unique sculptural elements in their photobooks. Participants will then be guided through the creation of two techniques. Drumleaf is a simple glued book structure that is ideal for anyone looking to make books with their own prints as the content. The structure lays flat, eliminates the need to print on the front and back of sheets, and can be created using almost any kind of paper. Coptic Stitch is a very old technique using a visible chain stitch linked across the spine and a hard cover where the entire book is sewn together with one continuous piece of thread.

This workshop is suitable for artists working in a myriad of disciplines including drawing, painting, collage, photography and interdisciplinary artists wishing to create try more complex book structures. 

All Materials are provided but students could bring some special paper for the front and back cover if they want!

About the Instructor:
Jessica Thalmann is an artist, curator and educator currently based in Toronto and New York City. She received a MFA in Advanced Photographic Studies from ICP-Bard College and a BFA in Visual Arts from York University. She has worked at the Doris McCarthy Gallery, Toronto International Film Festival, C Magazine, the Art Gallery of York University and Yossi Milo Gallery.


This event is part of Art Book Week, a week-long series of events and activities that parallels the Toronto Art Book Fair. Art Book Week 2018 takes place from July 4-11 at various locations across the city. The goal of Art Book Week is to celebrate the unique artists' book community in Toronto, as well as increase the visibility of new and exciting projects, spaces, and artists. www.torontoartbookfair.com/art-book-week-2018


Accessibility: 
The workshop will be held on this third floor at Akin King. The address is 525 King St West. The building is fully accessible with a barrier-free entrance leading to an elevator. There are no steps to get into the elevator. There is an all genders washroom with a grab-bar installed. There are no steps to get into the washroom. The door to the studio is not automated but will be propped open for this event. Please let us know of any other accessibility needs, including ASL interpretation, so that we can assist you. Please email michael@akincollective.com at least one week before the event and we will do our best to accommodate you. 

Akin Winter Gallery Crawl on Saturday February 24

Saturday, February 24 /  Meet at Koffler Gallery at 1pm - Suite 104-105, 180 Shaw Street (Artscape Youngplace) / FREE & family friendly

Akin Projects invite you to join us as we kick off our 2018 Gallery Crawl series as we spend a little bit longer visiting galleries and artist spaces in Artscape Youngplace, beginning with an exhibition tour at Koffler Centre for the Arts.

Free to attend. All are welcome, open to the public.

1. Meet at tour of Koffler Centre for the Arts at 1:00pm. (Suite 104-105, 180 Shaw Street)
2. Tour the Stairwell Galleries with Koffler Gallery
3. Curatorial tour with the South Asian Visual Arts Centre (SAVAC) and Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC) (Suite 302, 180 Shaw Street).
4. Tour the 1st floor Hallway Galleries and hallway video with CDCC.

Accessibility:
Koffler Gallery and Critical Distance Centre for Curators are all located within Artscape Youngplace (180 Shaw Street). Artscape Youngplace is fully accessible by Ontario standards, with a wheelchair ramp at the 180 Shaw Street doors, an elevator servicing every floor and a fully accessible washroom on every level. The nearby 63 Ossington bus on the TTC is wheelchair accessible. More information can be found here

Please let us know of any other accessibility needs so that we can assist. Email michael@akincollective.com with advance notice and we will do our best to accommodate you! Thank you.

Akin & Queers for Dinner Potluck Party on January 26 at Akin Lansdowne

January 26 / 6:30-8:30pm/ Akin Lansdowne, 87 Wade Avenue
PWYC (Suggested Donation $5 to help defray costs) / Please RSVP to let us know you're coming at www.queersfordinner.com/january-26-2018.html

Bring your appetite, creative side, and a tasty vegetarian dish to share and join Akin and Queers for Dinner for an evening of comfort food, great conversation and a special art-making collage activity. All are welcome - bring friends and some tasty treats! Vegetarian soup, bread and some yummy mac and cheese will be provided.

For accessibility information about the event location and photos of the space, please visit www.akincollective.com/lansdowne

Please let us know of any other accessibility needs so that we can assist you. Email michael@akincollective.com with advance notice and we will do our best to accommodate you! Thank you. 

About Queers for Dinner
Queers For Dinner - Foodie Events for LGBTQ people and Allies is a social community which aims to bring LGBTQ people and their allies together to enjoy great food and meet new friends in a small group setting. Queers for Dinner organizes the meals and invites guests to sign-up and write a little bit about themselves to share with other diners. Each event will have a host to help guests break the ice, and keep the space welcoming.
For more information please visit www.QueersforDinner.com

About Akin
Akin is an arts organization that provides affordable studio and shared workspace to nearly 300 artists and creatives in 16 studios across 7 locations as well as free and low cost creative and professional development opportunities to Toronto’s cultural community and the general public.
For more information please visit www.akin.art

Akin Show & Tell #61 at Akin Lansdowne on October 25!

On the last Wednesday of every month Akin host’s a relaxed and fun ‘Show and Tell for Artists’ at one of the Akin Collective studios. This is a time for Akin members and other Toronto artists to show completed works or works in progress and get friendly feedback and answers from their peers in a casual studio setting.

This month we are meeting at Akin Lansdowne in studio 101 - 87 Wade Ave. 

Feel free to bring art to share, bring a friend or two, bring snacks or drinks or just bring yourself! Come for the conversation or just to meet other artists and makers. This is FREE public event - everyone is welcome!

Since this edition of the Akin Show & Tell is so close to Halloween we would like to encourage you to not only bring your artwork to share but your creative costumes, decorations, jack-o-lanterns and of course, candy! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch! See you there!

Accessibility:

Akin Lansdowne is not currently wheelchair accessible. Akin regrets this barrier to access. When you arrive at Akin Lansdowne's entrance at the north side of the building, there are 6 steps into the building to access studio 101. There are two steps into the main floor gender-neutral washroom. There are no grab bars in the washroom and the toilets are not raised.

Getting there:

By TTC:
Akin Lansdowne is walking distance from Lansdowne Subway Station and is accessible by the Bloor­/Danforth subway line (Line 2) and the 47 Lansdowne Bus.

By car:
There is no reserved onsite parking but there is street parking on Wade Ave, Paton Road, and Lansdowne Ave - please check the street signs for hours. For after hours parking there is a Green P lot located at 695 Lansdowne Ave.

Akin Show & Tell #56 - Akin Lansdowne

On the last Wednesday of every month Akin host’s a relaxed and fun ‘Show and Tell for Artists’ at one of the Akin Collective studios. This is a time for Akin members and other Toronto artists to show completed works or works in progress and get friendly feedback and answers from their peers in a casual studio setting.

Feel free to bring art to share, bring a friend or two, bring snacks or drinks or just bring yourself! Come for the conversation or just to meet people and hang out.

This month we are meeting at Akin Lansdowne - 87 Wade Ave - Studio 101. Everyone is welcome! Open to the public! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch! See you there!

Akin Creative: Card Party! / Tomorrow evening at Akin Lansdowne

Join us tomorrow at Akin Lansdowne in studio 203 from 6:30-8:30pm for our second Card Party of 2017! It will be a fun, crafty time for you to let loose and make a card or two for someone you love! (Make a card for your partner, best friend, enemy or a stranger! Maybe you want to make a card for yourself :) Or of course Mother's day is coming up!)

Bring a friend, a snack, and your creativity! $10 per person - all materials included!  There is limited seating for this event. You must RSVP or register to attend. Email jen@akincollective.com to RSVP or get your ticket at www.universe.com/cardparty2017

Participants will be provided with one piece of heavy-duty hemp card stock, cut and scored to make a 4”x6” card as well as a brightly-colored 4”x6” envelope. You can purchase more card stock andj envelopes at the event for $0.50 each ($1 per set). We will also have beer for sale!

Supplies will be provided including:
- cardstock and envelopes
- a variety of coloured paper
- pencil crayons and pens
- watercolour paints and brushes
- spirograph and stamps
- stickers and stencils
- scissors and glue
- magazines to cut and paste
- glitter, beads, ribbon and more!

Feel free to bring additional supplies! See you tomorrow!

Back by popular demand! Surrealist Collage Workshop with Danielle Cole

Tickets will sell out quickly for this one! Reserve your spot at www.universe.com/collage

Thursday May 11 / 6:30pm-9:00pm / Akin Lansdowne, 87 Wade Ave, Toronto
All materials provided, $30 per person


What will we cover?

• We will begin with collage based on the Surrealist activity Corpse Bizarre
• Techniques for seamlessly cutting material to be used in collage
• Going beyond the glue stick – techniques for gluing fine and large pieces of collage without causing the material to bubble or tear
• How to source and combine collage materials in order to create a unique piece of art
   

What’s it all about?

Michelangelo said of his art ‘every block of stone has a statue inside and it is the task of the sculpture to discover it.’ This quote holds true for the construction of the collages. Sorting through hundreds of images, from magazines and books both new and old, until the magical moment when all the pieces come together to create a perfect piece of art. Collage is the perfect medium for creative thinkers, artists and crafty people. This is a hands-on workshop where you will be shown strategies for creating collages that are seamlessly built and helped towards creating a unique piece of art to take home at the end of the evening. All materials will be provided.

Who will be teaching?

The collage workshop will be taught by Danielle Cole, a Toronto-based collage artist and teacher. Her college work has most recently been featured at the Timeraiser show at the Powerplant and can currently be found in several restaurant bathrooms in Toronto and across Canada thanks to winning a New Ad competition back in March. She believes that everyone is capable of making a truly great collage but few people are capable of spending years gathering the materials and know how to make it happen. You can view her work at: www.daniellecole.ca Danielle has her BFA from York University, a degree in Advertising and Graphic Design from George Brown, and 13 years experience teaching art to high school students in the TDSB.

Akin Creative: Intro to Pysanky Egg Decorating

Sunday April 2, 2017 / 1pm-4pm / Akin Dufferin - 444 Dufferin St, Unit E
$25/person - all materials included / limited seating reserve your spot at www.universe.com/pysanky

Learn traditional techniques to decorate your own festive egg! Eggs are decorated with designs in the technique known as "wax resist". Traditional symbols, designs and patterns are applied with melted beeswax using a tool called a kistka. Eggs are then dipped into successively darker dye baths. At the end of the process the beeswax is melted off to reveal a dazzling display of colour.

Most popularly known as a Ukrainian tradition this is actually common across many Eastern European countries and the practice has been around for thousands of years in celebration of Spring and fertility.

All materials are included. Please note that we will be working with: indelible dyes, raw eggs, and a candle flame.

About the instructor:
Natalie Waddell is a Toronto ceramic artist and a passionate 'Maker of Things'. Always exploring different materials and techniques she saw a photo of Pysanky eggs 7 years ago and has been making them ever since.

Akin Creative: Monotype Printmaking Workshop with Gabriel Deerman

$25/person - materials included - Suitable for all experience levels.
Register to attend at www.universe.com/monotype

Monotype printing is a painterly and direct process of applying ink or paint to a plate (in this case plexi glass) and transferring that image to paper using an etching press or pin press - creating one of a kind prints.

In this workshop artist Gabriel Deerman will introduce you to monotype printing with watercolour and acrylic paints. Each participant will have time to produce and print two plates, resulting in finished original works on paper.

The simplicity of the process, forgiving nature of the materials and immediate results make this technique very popular among painters and those who find printmaking to be too process intensive and finicky. While monotype is simple and direct the visual look of the prints and broad possibilities for experimental applications are limitless.

Provided materials:
Paper, acrylic printing ink, watercolour paint, gum arabic, use of 8"x10" plexiglass plates and etching press.

High quality Arches printmaking paper will be available for a small fee of $2 per 9"x11" sheet (store cost). Each participant will have time to print at least 2 plates. Participants are encouraged to bring watercolour paints and brushes, as well as printed/drawn images (8"x10") to use as source material (for tracing) if they wish.

About the Instructor:
Gabriel Deerman (1979, Bolinas, California, USA) has a practice that is largely grounded in painting, drawing and printmaking but recent forays into sculpture, kinetic devices and installation are leading steadily away from disciplinary categorization. Deerman completed an MFA at Transart Institute (New York / Berlin), a BFA from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a practicing and certified art instructor and has exhibited internationally. Gabriel was the owner/director of independent arts venues in Vancouver and Montreal and is co-founder of Salmon River Studios— an educational art studio, artist residency and cultural events space located on his farm in Tamworth, Ontario. www.gabrieldeerman.com

Akin Gallery Crawl - March 4 starting at 2pm

Akin Projects invites you to join us for special tours of the current exhibitions at some of Toronto's best and brightest galleries in the West End.

1. Meet at Division Gallery at 2pm
2. Visit Mercer Union, a centre for contemporary art
3. Visit Scrap Metal Gallery
4. Visit Daniel Faria Gallery
5. Visit Robert Kananaj Gallery
6. Visit XPACE Cultural Centre

Free to attend. All are welcome, open to the public.

The Akin Library launches March 13 at our next Skillshare for Creative Professionals

The Akin Collective Team is excited to announce the launch of our newest initiative for our studio members: The Akin Library! This volunteer-led and donation-based collection of books will be housed at Akin Dupont in studio 204 and will feature print materials created by our members as well as a variety of art-related publications donated by members including zines and artist books, exhibition catalogs, artist biographies, how-to books and more.

Join us is on March 13 from 7-9pm at Akin Dupont - 1485 Dupont St in Studio 204 to celebrate the launch of the library at our Skillshare for Creative Professionals: Books We Love. Attendance is free but space is limited, please register to attend at www.universe.com/bookshare

The Akin Library will be open for all members of the Akin Dupont studios and all Akin Collective Shared Members during regular studio hours. Akin Collective members from our Lansdowne, Dufferin and Sunrise Studios will be able to view the library collection at appointed times throughout the month. Books can be borrowed for up to one month at no cost.

We are happy to accept book donations at any time for the collection. Donations can be dropped off in the drop-box at the library or you can email us to make other arrangements or bring your donations to the Skillshare! We especially encourage members to donate books they have created!

We are also seeking volunteer librarians to help manage the library. If you are interested please contact jen@akincollective.com for more information. Volunteer librarians must be Akin Collective studio members.

We hope this library will evolve and grow over time and contribute to enriching the lives and creative practices of our studio members. We would like to thank Mark Buck of Akin Dupont for his help in launching the library.